


Not So Bad

by flooj9235



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Established Relationship, F/F, Meeting the Parents, Reunions, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-09
Updated: 2016-04-09
Packaged: 2018-06-01 04:10:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6500248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flooj9235/pseuds/flooj9235
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Miranda did some digging after the Reaper war and has finally found Jack's parents.  After some coercing, Jack agrees to travel to Eden Prime and meet the parents she never had.  Miranda is optimistic, but Jack isn't so sure.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not So Bad

"This was a bad idea."

Miranda rolled her eyes and continued toward the exit.  "Come, we're going to be late."

Jack dragged her feet a little, but followed along.  Her face was sullen, but her eyes gave away her anxiety.  

Miranda slowed her pace just a bit and studied the shorter woman.  "There's nothing to be nervous about, Jack."

"Yeah?" Jack snorted. "How would you feel if you were gonna meet your parents who thought you were dead?"

Miranda rolled her eyes.  "I never had a mother in the first place, and my father was an egomaniacal bastard that helped The Illusive Man create Reapers."

The professor shot Miranda a sour look.  "Fuck off."

Neither woman had a chance to say more; the crowd of people was swarming near the exit and they focused on keeping track of each other and heading out of the transport concourse.

The air was cool, a gentle breeze rustling the Alliance flag overhead.  Miranda took a deep breath and glanced over at Jack, who was still tense.  Her hands were curled into fists and her jaw was clenched as she refused to look at the people milling around them.

Miranda reached over and uncurled Jack's hand, threading her fingers through Jack's and giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

The biotic instructor's eyes snapped up to meet Miranda’s, and for a moment she looked like she was going to jerk away, but then Jack closed her eyes and blew out a breath, shaking her head.  "This is a bad fucking idea."

Miranda smiled and led Jack away from the doors, toward the designated meeting place. 

They were right on time, but the older couple was already there and waiting for them.  Miranda's heart rate picked up nervously, and she wet her lips, anxious on Jack's behalf.

Jack's entire body seemed to want to resist going any closer, but she simply held onto Miranda a little tighter and followed along quietly.

Miranda had been the one to set up the meeting, so she cleared her throat as they approached and released Jack's hand with a final squeeze.  "Excuse me, Mr. and Mrs. —"

The couple looked up and rose to meet Jack and Miranda.  The woman grew teary almost immediately, her hand going to her mouth.

Miranda could see the familiar shape of Jack's jaw in the man's face and the deep brown of her eyes in the woman's, and she relaxed a bit.  "My name is—"

"Jennifer," the woman sobbed, throwing her arms around Miranda.  The man was close behind, wrapping his wife and Miranda in a hug.

Miranda's eyes went wide and she scrambled to figure out what to say.  She did her best to politely extract herself from the embrace, and gave Jack a helpless look.  The biotic's face was stony and Miranda cringed inwardly.

"I'm sorry, no, I'm..."  Miranda cleared her throat.  "My name is Miranda Lawson.  I'm the one who contacted you about your daughter?"

The couple faltered, fear passing over their faces.  The woman tried to speak but couldn't muster the words, so Jack's father stepped in.  "Is she all right?"

Miranda paused, realizing the couple had yet to spare Jack more than a glance.  "Yes," she said slowly.  "She's fine.  I brought her with me." The former operative extended her hand toward Jack, reaching for her girlfriend's hand again.

Jack's parents followed Miranda's movement, their eyes settling on their daughter almost reluctantly.

Jack jammed her hands into her pockets instead, obviously uncomfortable with the couple's eyes on her.  She opened her mouth, hesitated, then closed it again and shrugged.

The woman's eyes roved over the tattoos and scars, staring at Jack.  The man was no better, openly staring at Jack like she was a mutant.

Miranda's stomach dropped and she took a step back, trying to bring Jack into the forefront.

"Jennifer?" the woman asked uncertainly.

Jack did her best not to make a face. "Jack," she corrected. "I go by Jack."

The couple exchanged an unreadable look, and Jack dropped her gaze to the ground.

Miranda watched as a silence stretched out between the long lost family, silently promising to make it up to Jack.

"That's... a lot of tattoos," Jack's mother offered politely.

Jack nodded stiffly.

Miranda pretended not to notice when Jack's parents glanced at her, furious at the doubt she saw in their eyes.  She studied Jack instead and ached at the sight of her girlfriend closing herself off; this was a disaster.

"Not quite what you were expecting, huh?" Jack snapped after a moment, unable to take it any longer.  "Yeah, sorry.  Cerberus kinda fucked me up.  Figured I oughta cover all the scars up."

Jack's mother flinched at the acidic tone of Jack's voice, and her husband rested a hand on her shoulder.

Miranda murmured Jack's name, trying to soothe her girlfriend, then turned a firm look on the older couple.  "May I speak with you two in private?"

Jack seemed all too happy to stalk away and went to a scenic balcony overlooking Eden Prime's grassy plains. 

Miranda watched her go for a moment, then returned her gaze to Jack's parents.  "I understand she is not what you were expecting, but she deserves a chance to know you, and for you to get to know her."

Jack's father glanced over at Jack again, and her mother gave Miranda a concerned look.

"I'm sorry," she said slowly.  "It's just... are you sure that's our child?  This isn't some elaborate hoax by Cerberus?"

Miranda bristled.  "It damn well is not a hoax!  That woman over there is—she's a bloody hero!  She saved more lives during the Reaper war on Earth than can fit in that concourse.  She's been hurt her entire life, and she's overcome it all, and is an amazing teacher at Grissom Academy, helping biotic children become the best they can be!  She’s your daughter and you should be proud of her."  Miranda stopped herself before she started shouting and took a deep breath.  "I know she can be intimidating, believe me, I do.  But beneath it all she's just... sometimes she's still that little girl Cerberus took from you, wishing her parents would come rescue her and love her, even if she refuses to admit it."

Jack's parents looked taken aback, and Miranda faintly hoped she hadn't ruined everything.  Then again, if Jack's parents weren't going to appreciate her, then maybe it was for the best.

"All she needs is a chance," Miranda told them. "Give her that, and she'll surprise you."  She looked over to where Jack was leaning against the railing, her chest swelling with both sympathy and affection.

Miranda gave Jack's parents another firm glance, then nodded curtly and walked across the platform to Jack.

The tattooed biotic didn't acknowledge her when Miranda leaned against the railing beside her, staring out at the grass like she might be able to discern answers in the sea of green.

"I'm sorry," Miranda murmured.  "This was… not the best of ideas."

Jack snorted.  "Yeah, you can say that again.  Fuck.  Guess I shoulda known this'd happen."  She shook her head. "Who'd look at someone like me and think 'yeah, awesome, that's my kid'? Fuck, I even used to like it, but now it's like... who even looks at me and isn't scared?"

Miranda's heart ached and she bumped her shoulder into Jack's.  "Me. And your students.  Most of the Normandy crew. All the people whose lives you saved.  I can go on."  She ignored Jack's huff of disbelief and reached for Jack's hand again.  "I may not count for much, Jack, but I am proud to know you.  Anyone that thinks otherwise… well."

Jack was quiet for a moment, then sighed and wound her fingers through Miranda's.  "Shut up.  You count most."  

Miranda smiled and gazed out across the grassland, letting the breeze ruffle her hair.  "I'm sorry for all this, Jack," she said again.  "I didn't know it would happen like this."

"What, that they’d think you’re the perfect daughter they were dreaming of?"  Jack sucked at her teeth and sighed. "Yeah, must suck."

The words stung, but Miranda ignored them as best she could, letting Jack vent.

After a moment, the instructor let out a heavy sigh.  "Guess they'd get you anyway, though." She didn't meet Miranda's gaze but let a small smile play at the corner of her mouth.  "You and me are kind of a package deal, y'know?"

Miranda was half a second away from leaning over to kiss Jack when footsteps approached them.

"Jack?" the older woman offered uncertainly.

Jack and Miranda turned around to see Jack's parents standing there uncertainly.

"I'm sorry," Jack's mother said.  "It's just... overwhelming.  Can we try this again?"

Jack studied the couple for a few long moments, glanced at Miranda, then back at her parents. She shrugged a little, but nodded. "Yeah, I guess."

Jack's mother smiled and reached for her, cupping Jack's face in her hands and taking in the sight of her.  "You have my eyes," she realized, her own eyes watering before she pulled Jack into a hug.

Jack didn't seem to know what to do with her hands, and seemed relieved when her mother released her, then found herself engulfed in her father's arms.

Miranda watched, a smile growing on her face.  She declined when Jack's parents asked if they wanted go for a walk and get to know each other, giving Jack the opportunity to get to know her parents on her own terms.  She watched the reunited family walk away, watching Jack's body language visibly relax, and found herself a bench to sit on and opened her omni-tool to pass the time.

It was an hour or two later when Jack flopped on the bench beside her, jolting Miranda out of the novel she'd been reading.  She closed her omni-tool and looked over at Jack, who seemed calmer than she had all day.  "How did it go?"

Jack shrugged, but smiled a little.  "Okay, I guess.  Sorta like some of those parent-teacher conference things I hate.  But... okay."

"Good."  Miranda watched Jack's eyes follow a skycar taking off and smiled to herself.  "So overall, it wasn't a completely terrible idea?"

Jack rolled her eyes.  "C'mon, Cheerleader. All your ideas are terrible." She grinned and nudged Miranda with her elbow, then shook her head.  "Nah.  I guess it wasn't bad.  So... thanks."  She caught Miranda's mouth in a kiss, then pulled away and got to her feet and looked to the concourse.  "You think there's any kinda burger joint in there?  I'm fucking starving."

Miranda decided not to mention that Jack had refused breakfast due to her nerves and got to her feet. "Perhaps. I just hope there's somewhere with a salad bar."

Jack rolled her eyes.  "Whatever.  You and your fucking rabbit food.  You sound like my aunt."  Jack grinned a little at the words.  "Yeah, so turns out I've got an aunt here too.  I guess she's on some crazy diet or some shit, and all she eats is like... grass."

Miranda smiled and walked back into the concourse with Jack, listening to her girlfriend's stories, grateful that everything had worked out.


End file.
